Gleneagles unveils ambitious plans for new arena

150 150 Daniel Fountain
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Hot on the heels of hosting a successful Ryder Cup, The Gleneagles® Hotel have announces plans for a new 2500 square metre event space – The Gleneagles Arena.Located within Gleneagles’ 850 acre estate, as part of its Activity School complex, the Gleneagles Arena will transform one of its current equestrian arenas into a modern and versatile event space which also doubles as a 4-court indoor tennis centre.

Due to launch in May 2015, the new space will be perfect for conferences, exhibitions, product launches, concerts and team-building events. With capacity for 500 – 2000 guests, the five star resort will now be able to accommodate much larger groups.

Its key features include:
– Floor space of 2500 square metres
– The creation of a new combined reception and retail area
– 650 viewing seats
– Loading bay access doors
– 63 integrated hanging points tested to 500kg
– 200A power supply with MCCB panel with a variety of sockets
– A dedicated access route from car park, with 500 spaces
– LED house lights and oil-fired heating

Stuart Smith, Gleneagles’ Director of Events & Leisure, said:
“After celebrating our 90th anniversary and hosting The Ryder Cup, this has been one of the most memorable years in Gleneagles history, and we are delighted that we’ll be able to keep the momentum going in 2015 with the launch of this fantastic new events space. It’s going to be an amazing blank canvas for all kinds of events – from car launches, to concerts, to foodie extravaganzas.

“With 232 luxury bedrooms, fourteen function rooms and a wide range of leisure activities, Gleneagles already attracts some really high-profile, exciting events. The Gleneagles Arena will simply take us to the next level, meaning we can handle larger groups, and hopefully stage many more world-class events in the coming years.”

The Gleneagles Arena project represents a £650,000 investment, the latest in a long line of recent upgrades. These have included a £5 million refurbishment of The Club earlier in 2014, a £3 million overhaul of the Dormy Clubhouse in 2011, the installation of The Blue Bar – a new outdoor whisky and cigar bar – in the same year, and a £1 million investment in its PGA Centenary Course in 2012. Earlier this month, Gleneagles also completed a £250,000 refurbishment of its flagship conference venue, The Gleneagles Suite.

Gleneagles’ existing equestrian offering at the Activity School will be retained, with coaching for all levels still being offered to leisure and corporate guests alike in its small arena and outdoor facilities.

Daniel Fountain / 15.04.2015

Editor, Hotel Designs

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Fun fact: I’m usually the person friends rely on to organise trips, schedules, and group plans.

Workhighlights: Successfully coordinating events from planning through to delivery and seeing everything come together on the day.

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Fun fact: People tell Sienna she gives off Bridget Jones vibes, and she loves to bake, always making sure there are shortbreads floating around the office

Work highlights: Sienna joined Forum Events & Media Group while studying Communications and Media, starting in the sales team where she managed and helped launch the first the PA Life Leading Venues of London SHOWCASE, where she built relationships with luxury venues across the capital. Drawn to the stories behind these spaces, she naturally transitioned into the editorial team, creating social media and editorial content. Upon graduating in June 2026, she is excited to be joining as Assistant Editor for Hotel Designs and SPACE.

Fun fact: When not working, Jess can usually be found tending to her kitchen garden in the Sussex countryside or foraging for herbs in the nearby woods. A keen grower, she recently studied a RHS Level 2 Diploma in the Principles of Horticulture during her spare time.

Work highlights: Jess joined SPACE magazine in 2022 and has since progressed from Assistant Editor to Editor. During this time, she has worked across many aspects of the publication – from shaping editorial strategy and overseeing operations to contributing to art direction and representing the brand on stage at industry events including Surface Design Show and WOW!house.

Alongside her role at SPACE, Jess has built a creative career spanning the arts, culture, design and travel sectors. Prior to joining the magazine, she spent more than a decade in the commercial art industry, in artist liaison, gallery management, and curating collections for the hospitality sector across hotels and cruise ships. During this time, she also worked on freelance projects as a writer, photographer, and creative content producer.
 
Jess studied photojournalism at London College of Communication and the Danish School of Media and Journalism and holds a first-class BA (Hons) in Culture, Criticism and Curation from Central Saint Martins.

Fun fact: Katy has spent years perfecting all kinds of accents and loves a good impersonation!

Work highlights: Katy has been with Hotel Designs since the beginning, way back in 2015 when Forum Events & Media Group acquired the brand.

During this time, she has fostered many meaningful relationships with clients from across the hospitality spectrum, as well as playing a pivotal role in the launch of The Brit List Awards, Hotel Designs MEET UPs, client-led roundtables and panel talks, brand and website redesigns, HD Wellness Sets, DESIGN POD podcast, Hotel Designs LIVE panel talk series, Accessible Design Talks and more. Katy is always on the lookout for the next opportunity to help grow the Hotel Designs brand even further.
 
Most recently Katy has stepped in to the role of Publisher atSPACE magazine, the printed bi-monthly publication focused on hotel design, architecture, and development.
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